Thailand Plans Free Domestic Flights For Indians And Other International Tourists From September

Thailand is set to introduce a new travel scheme that will make exploring the country even more exciting for international visitors. The initiative, called "Buy International, Free Thailand Domestic Flights", is aimed at encouraging travellers to go beyond the usual hotspots like Bangkok and Phuket, and instead discover lesser-explored destinations across the country. Tourism and Sports Minister Sorawong Thienthong has revealed plans to request a 700 million baht budget from the Cabinet to support the programme, reported The Nation Thailand.

How The 'Free Domestic Flights' Scheme Will Work

Under the plan, the government of Thailand will support domestic flight tickets priced at 1,750 baht for one-way trips (3,500 baht for round trips). Destinations will include UNESCO World Heritage cities, popular tourist spots, and key regions nationwide. The programme is expected to run from August to December 2025, with travel available between September and November.

Foreign tourists, including Indian tourists, who purchase standard international tickets to Thailand will qualify for the offer through airline websites, multi-city options, fly-thru services, or even online travel agents. Each traveller will get up to two domestic flight tickets (one for departure and one for return), along with a 20 kg baggage allowance.

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Boosting Tourism And Economy With Free Flights

The project aims to draw at least 200,000 international tourists and will be managed by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT).

To make it possible, the TAT will collaborate with six domestic airlines - Thai AirAsia, Bangkok Airways, Nok Air, Thai Airways International (THAI), Thai Lion Air, and Thai VietJet - through special promotions that align with Thailand's efforts to boost its economy through tourism.

Authorities estimate that the initiative could generate direct revenue of at least 8.81 billion baht from tourist spending, with a wider economic benefit of around 21.80 billion baht.

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Other Tourism Initiatives In Thailand

Alongside this, the government of Thailand has also been running the "Half-Price Thailand Travel" scheme to encourage domestic travel. Bookings in major cities under this programme have already hit full capacity, with about 54,075 out of 500,000 slots still available in smaller destinations. Officials expect these to be used up by September.

If successful, the scheme could see a second phase, specifically designed to further support travel to lesser-known cities and regions in Thailand.